County Commission Approves Development in Important Wildlife Corridor

At the Alliance we advocate for the crafting and enforcement of land use rules that encourage walkable neighborhoods surrounded by protected open space, working agricultural lands, and connected wildlife habitat.

Therefore, we were incredibly disappointed last week when the County Commission voted to approve a development that will allow three large homes to get built in the “Natural Resource Overlay” (NRO) when these homes could easily be located outside the NRO on the same property.

As we noted in our comments to the Commission on this issue, our land development regulations clearly state that development should get located outside of our designated natural resource areas, especially areas that encompass critical moose winter range, moose and mule deer migration corridors, and elk winter range. The Wyoming Game & Fish Department stated that the location of the three large homes would take place in open space that “provides an important wildlife movement corridor from upland habitats on the Bridger-Teton National Forest to riparian habitats along the Snake River.”